A Second Chance
by Arpanator
Summary: "A second chance? Are you out of your freaking mind? You're lucky you got a second glance, let alone a second chance. Don't push your luck. You may be the Surgeon of Death but guess what - I'm not afraid of death. Not anymore." LawOC / Rated T for mild swearing now - Will probably progress to M.
1. Prologue

**[Umm, hello :D You can call me Dreamy or whatever strikes your fancy. This is my first serious fanfiction that I'm really set on finishing (actually my first fanfiction. Period.) So I would really appreciate it if you took a wild chance and gave reading it a try. It's a LawOC One Piece story. This chapter is basically a prologue for the OC. I would be eternally grateful to you if you took the time to review and maybe offered some constructive criticism. I don't mind flames as long as you have a reason to do so. Like I said, this is just a really short prologue. If you want to wait to gauge how I write before I review, you don't have to wait long but I would love it if you reviewed or PM'ed me anyway :D Hope you enjoy my short but hopefully awesome start to what will definitely be a fun ride xD]**

**[Trust me, this fic gets better. At the very least, read until Chapter 5. I swear, you won't be diappointed.]**

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_A Second Glance_

Chapter 1

Prologue

Martha Dobbin was not a kind woman, nor was she generous by any sense of the word. She was a Prale Priestess of the highest order and she would usually not have been caught dead holding an infant. Yet, against all logic, there she was, clutching a baby to her bosom as she hastily walked home under the veil the evening shadows provided. The circumstances that led to her having to take care of a child - of a vile product of wrongful and sinful relations between a man and a woman - were neither noble nor selfless.

The real world hardly ever lived up to the romantic fantasies concocted by innocent minds.

In the real world, people did everything they could to satisfy their greed. Such was the case with Martha. The child was merely a tool to get her what she desired - invincibility - and all she had to do was make the baby - a girl - love her. Surely that wouldn't be too great an obstacle. But that would have to come later. Right now, there stood a more immediate concern.

How was she to rear a girl in her home without arousing suspicion? It had seemed Martha had forgotten a vital piece of her plan. She almost lost the nerve to carry out her plan when her eyes fell on it - the basement door. Perfect.

No one would even _think _of looking for a child in there. Why would they suspect she had a child in the first place when there would be no trace of it found above ground?

When Martha closed the door that led to the basement that night, she had done more than just turn a key in the lock. She had changed the course of

destiny.

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**[Please review?]**


	2. The Girl in the Basement

**[Hey again :D This is more of a second prologue to the story than the actual story. I have no idea what I'm doing but hey, that's why I need you! Just stick with me for one more chapter. Reading the boring bits now will make the actual story much more interesting. Basically, this chapter gives a background to my OC. If she seems Mary-Sue-ish, please bear with it. It's a part of the plot. Trust me ;D]**

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_A Second Chance_

Chapter 2

The Girl In The Basement

Prale is an unassuming island the size of a city in the vast, cold North Blue. However, it's more than just a city - it's a religion. It is a religion where absolute discipline and abstinence is demanded. Fail and you were labeled a sinner and made to live in the Outskirts, working at the Incinerator.

It is in such an island that _her_ story begins.

* * *

Bleary eyes slowly blinked open in the dark of Martha Dobbin's basement. The possessor of these eyes knew not if it was day or night. There was no light in the basement. She felt scared living down there all alone but there was nothing she could do. There were bad people outside and her mother was doing all she could to protect her. She didn't know what these bad things were but she trusted her mother. She was the sole living member of her family. Her mother had said so.

The door above creaked open slightly. There was something odd - different, even - about her mother that day. Usually she strode in calmly and talked to her. Today, she thundered in.

"You stupid child! Were you lying when you said you loved me? I _know_ when you're lying, girl. No one outwits a Priestess of my standing!"

As the girl's eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light, she saw a bruise flowering on her mother's left cheek.

"I love you, Mother," she whispered," I told you I did."

Her mother's eyes flared. "I will not tolerate any more lying. No food for a day. Lie to _me_, will you_?_"

And with that, she tromped upstairs without a backward glance.

The girl - she had no name - let go of the breath she had been holding. It had always been like this. Sooner or later her mother would come back and apologize. At least it hadn't been about the hole she had found the other day -the hole that let her see wonderful, fantastical things _outside._

It was rather boring in the basement. It was dark, damp and musty. More often than not, she had rats for company. They were nice rats though - they didn't bite or scratch. The only hobby she had was listening.

She listened to the floorboards above creaking and knew exactly what her Mother was doing. Sometimes, when her mother had guests, she could hear them speaking about things that made no sense but seemed important nonetheless. In fact, it seemed as though there were guests in the house right then.

The girl sat as still as she could and tried to make out bits and pieces of the conversation.

"Camelia! How good to see you! What a pleasant surprise. Do sit and have some tea."

"Why, I would love to Martha."

"I'll be right back in a jiffy."

Camelia. That was a familiar name. She often visited and talked to her mother about the Church.

"Hello, is this Sandra?" a voice whispered. The girl in the basement frowned. Her mother couldn't _possibly_ have made tea that quickly and there were no other guests in the house. It hit her then. Camelia had to be using a Den Den Mushi! She had heard about those before.

The voice continued, "Yes. Yes, the preparations are ready. We'll move in on Martha tomorrow. Yes, at the shopping district in the afternoon. I'm well aware. I need to go now."

Thus ended the short conversation. A shiver ran through the little girl's spine. She lost interest in eavesdropping any further. She has a very bad feeling about this. She supposed she had to warn her mother but she wasn't allowed to go out. She decided to do it when her mother brought her food.

Her mother didn't bring her food that day as she had promised earlier. Fate had to be playing cruel tricks on her. At this rate she would have to go out to warn her mother. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel excited at the thought of going out into the real world. The locked door would, however, pose a problem. No matter, she would get her rats to take care of it. The isolated girl settled down for a night of restless sleep.

* * *

Morning came but her mother was not to be seen. It looked close to noon. The light falling through her hole was thick and golden. It was time, she decided. Her mother always said she never loved her. Well, her venture into the dangerous world was sure to prove her love.

Her rats had done as she asked and had gnawed the door through the night just enough for it to fall with a dull thud after a few kicks. It was the first time the girl had been out of the basement but there was no time for her to admire her surroundings. She had a sense of purpose. She had to get to the shopping district and soon.

The light outside burned her eyes. Years of living in the basement had not offered them resistance to the day. As she waited for her eyes to adjust to the light and stop watering, she caught a few glimpses of the people around her. What she saw did not encourage her. The horrified looks they sported grew in number as they encircled her. She was bombarded with a torrent of whispers.

"Is that… a _child_?"

"Good heavens!"

"Lord bless me, for I have sinned-"

"What is that _thing_ doing here?"

The little girl - she couldn't have been more than six years old - looked up at the faces around her and bravely asked, "May I please know the way to the shopping district please? I need to find my mother." "It's urgent," she managed to squeak out.

She didn't know why but she felt like crying. The strange people around her seemed to be saying hurtful things. She wanted her mother.

In the sea of faces surrounding her, magically - almost miraculously - she found a familiar face. Was that…her mother?

"Mother? Mother!" she screamed, voice quivering as she pushed her way through the crowd to the figure. Still, her mother didn't look at her. Why? Why wasn't she?

Now the focus of the crowd was on her mother.

"Martha? Is this your child?"

"Martha Dobbin's child? Why, I never!"

Martha Dobbin's face was composed. She smiled pleasantly, "I am a Priestess. There is no conceivable reason for me to raise a child. Why would I betray the Church I have pledged my life to?"

The worries of the crowd instantly dissipated. It was true. Martha was a believer among believers. There was _no way_ she would rear a child! The filthy creature had to have snuck in somehow. They would call the Judges and have it removed from their sight at once.

* * *

And that was how Paige came to find herself working at the Incinerator at the tender age of fifteen. Prale was a city that had the latest of technologies but the least progress. It had firmly rooted itself into its religion fifty years ago and showed no signs of budging anytime soon. The Incinerator was a place where things offending the religion such as books were burnt. It was considered unholy to touch such things. So, it was the Sinners who were assigned the duty of maintaining it.

There was only one Sinner besides Paige. He was an old man who went by the name of Brack. Brack was a heavyset man who had worldly knowledge and lived by principles of his own making. He regarded the city folk as crazy people. It was he who had named Paige. He could still remember it like it was the day before instead of almost a decade ago.

He had been adding coal to the fire when he spied a little girl of about six. She seemed frail and on the verge of tears. He had taken her in, muttering all the while about the heartlessness of the citizens of Prale. She was _six years old_, for Rogersake.

He had listened to her story and wiped her tears. He taught her how to catch her food in the Outskirts and keep herself occupied. The harsh city hadn't hardened her like it had him. Brack tried as hard as he could to preserve the innocence that lit her up. She seemed to love immersing herself in the books that were scheduled for burning. She would finish reading them, then gaily throw it into the fire while reaching for another.

They had to have been together for about a month when Brack realized he's been calling her 'Girl' all that while. He had sat down beside her and in one of his moments of gentleness, asked her about her name. The girl had turned her face up towards him and said, in a voice devoid of anger, that she had none.

It was then, that Brack named her Paige - in honor of her love for reading.

It is Paige's story that you shall read about in the upcoming chapters, of her strength and belief and love of one man that changed history forever.

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**[Thank you for reading so far! Reviews = faster chapters! :D]**


	3. Changing Course

**[Umm, hey :D I'm SO sorry it took me so long to upload :/ I had to go to Bangkok for about a week and I was suffering from writer's block. So, this chapter may be a little short and not up to par but I swear the upcoming chapters will be epic. Hope I haven't lost any readers... The only reason I was even able to upload this was because I kept reading the reviews my readers left me. Thank you _so_ very much. You have _no idea_how much I love you.]**

**[Note : Obviously, the manga will continue to be published as I write this fanfic and I'm not sure I can incorporate all the new information about Law here. So, this'll most probably develop to be an AU fic.]**

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_A Second Chance_

Chapter 3

Changing Course

Medical Apprentice Trafalgar Law of the Blood Pirates was a man of contradictions.

His easygoing mindset and ever ready grin coupled with his laid-back take-it-as-it-comes attitude made him a favorite among his crew, as did his generally good nature. At the same time, his stern bedside manner made many a man whimper with fear.

He was a doctor- sworn to help those in need- yet he was a pirate, ever thirsty for blood.

Oh, yes. Trafalgar Law was certainly a man of many contradictions. He was also a man not to be trifled with.

The Blood Pirates has seen what the nineteen year old could do when he went on a rampage and weren't especially eager to see a repeat, thank you very much; which was why they hastened to make way when they saw the man himself thunder down the corridor, seemingly on the warpath.

Trafalgar was in a particularly bad mood. This was not unusual, however, the fact that he chose to express it plainly was. He barely paused when he reached the door to his Captain's chambers. He furiously pulled it open and barged right in without permission.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he bellowed.

Captain Montgomery quirked his lips into an amused smile, "Pray, by all means, walk right in and yell at me. Take a seat while you're at it, would you?" He gestured to a vacant chair beside his desk. "Now, tell me. What the hell am I supposed to be doing?"

Law lost some of his anger as he sat down. "Blarr urgently requires medical supplies. So does Tristan. I already told you about the severity of their condition. So why in Roger's name aren't we stopping at Prale?" he bit out, gritting his teeth.

The Captain started, "What difference to a few lives make, Law? Blarr and Tristan are both good men. They fought well…but sometimes we need to leave behin-"

"Not in this crew we don't. We take care of our own down to their last breaths," Law cut in.

The Captain was still reluctant. Going out of their journey's way to an island that Roger-knew-how-far-off was _just_ for a couple of men was impractical. "Hmph. What does Dr. Domburt think about this?"

"Oh, you know that old geezer. He's hardly aware of what goes on around him. I still fail to understand why you keep him on board."

"You're lucky I'm going to ignore what you just said. Law, we're on our way to the Grand Line in good health. What if misfortune falls upon us while we dock at the island you speak of? I'd rather not tempt fortune…"

"Captain. I mean no disrespect but I hardly doubt a coward could make it _to _the Grand Line, let alone _sail_ it. The crew will come to no harm. You have my word."

"Young 'uns these days! No manners I tell you…" the Captain grumpily said. "Fine. Have it your way. We'll dock at Prale. I'll hold you responsible for anything that happens to the crew while they're there."

Law grinned at having gotten his way. "Of course, Captain. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Captain Montgomery waved a hand towards the door. "Well, off you go then. Go inform the navigator of our change in destinations and get him a sandwich while you're at it. You know how he gets when we change plans."

Law stood and with a barely perceptible nod, left the room.

* * *

Trafalgar Law couldn't stop the smile that was slowly broadening across his face as he walked to the Navigation Room down below to meet Rilan. He'd expected to change Montgomery's mind but not within so short a time. Really - his wit and charm knew no bounds.

He held a Swordfish sandwich in his hand and cautiously made his way into Rilan's 'abode.'

If anything, it was the farthest thing from an 'abode.' The badly lit space was littered with maps, charts, nautical instruments and oddly enough, lollipop wrappers.

"Hey Rilan, you in here? I can't see you past all this crap you have! Stop hoarding and clean up once in a while, will you!" Law yelled.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut your fecking mouth, ya son of a trout. I'm back here," a voice called faintly.

Trafalgar gingerly stepped over what seemed to be a pile of feces and made his way to the back of the room. Rilan was hunched over a dozen maps, his face wrought with concentration in the blue light of the monitors before him. He stood quietly till Rilan was done poring over his maps and turned to face him.

"Well, I see ya bloody came armed with a fecking sandwich. Ya want me to do something, dontcha you piece of shit? Something I won't like, is what I'm sensing. Come now, out with it, boy," he growled.

Law tried to calm the man down. "Come now, there's no need for expletives."

"Shut the bloody hell up and get to the point you slippery little bastard!"

Law couldn't help but let an amused little smile slip. "Very well then. You're to change course to Prale instead of Nisa like originally planned. Captain's orders, my friend. Nothing I can do about it. Here take this sandwich as a peace offering, would you?"

And with that, he turned heel and tried to flee but to no avail.

"Are ya touched in the head, boy? Prale's a city where them crazy folk live. Sure, there may have 'em fancy machines but goin' there's not worth the trouble!" Rilan snarled.

Law looked back, his eyes smoldering all at once. "I assure you Rilan, Prale is well worth the trouble."

"Fine. Be stubborn, ya twit. Tell the Capn' that we'll be dockin' in a coupla' days. Some mighty fine weather comin' up 'ere."

"I will," he said, his eyes losing their fire.

* * *

Paige was having a wonderful morning.

She hummed to herself as she skipped down to Brack's hut. The sun had just come out, the birds were singing their odd tuneless songs and Brack seemed to be in a good mood. He _had_ to be to invite her to his house. Usually, he never let her come. He always complained grumpily about having to make himself, and the house, presentable for her visits. Paige laughed to herself, her light laugh dancing daintily through the breeze.

The silly old man was so sensitive to trivial things yet so blind to the rest. When would he realize that they had been together for almost ten years and that things like formalities didn't matter between them? He had practically raised her!

Paige was so unaware of her surroundings that she almost stumbled over a stray book. She picked herself up with non-existent dignity and walked a few steps before stumbling yet again. This wasn't out of the ordinary for the Outskirts was a place where towers of books were stacked as far as the eye could see. The Sinners had to carry the books from hours away to the Incinerator. Roads did not exist there, simply pathways between the stacks. This meant that navigation was impossible for outsiders…and _certain_individuals. Paige was by no means an idiot, however, she _was_ directionally challenged.

Brack had discovered and confirmed that very fact mere months after her arrival and hence proceeded to lay easy-to-follow trails. In fact, it was these very trails that were helping her arrive at Brack's house.

Paige breathed a sigh of relief when she reached his doorstep without further mishap. She stood on her tip-toes, as was a habit of hers, and knocked once. Twice. Thrice.

She waited for a good while before knocking again.

There was no answer. That was odd. Brack usually dropped whatever he was doing to answer the door. He always worried about her.

There was something wrong. She could feel it in her blood, in her heart and with every fiber of her being.

The ordinarily pleasant cottage loomed above her with dark malice. The lump in her throat threatened to choke her.

Paige took a deep breath, steadied herself and pushed down the door handle. The door was unlocked.

Brack never left it unlocked.

The morning was as beautiful as ever and the sun shone brightly but a shadow hovered over her vision. With a growing dread, Paige swung open the door noiselessly and braced herself for what awaited her within.

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**[Thank you to all my reviewers. As for the non-reviewers, grrrr... I check my stats. I know about the amount of people who have not reviewed. Please, please,_please_ review :D ]**


	4. First Encounters

**[Hey again! Dream here. I think I've managed to update a little faster this time with a slightly longer chapter length. The only was I was able to do it was because of the reviews you gave me. I never understood it before, but now I see how authors depend on their readers :D So, a big Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank You goes out to my wonderful, wonderful readers and reviewers and alerters and everybody :) I hope you like this chapter. Constructive criticism is always welcome and I appreciate your comments. Please review?]**

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_A Second Chance_

Chapter 4

First Encounters

Paige's hands trembled as they twisted the knob on the door. She expected the door to resist but it swung open at the slightest touch. Her heart was racing and she found it hard to suck in air. She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and stepped into Brack's house. Weak sunlight filtered in through blinds - just enough to illuminate the dust motes dancing in the air. Paige spotted a cup of cocoa on the coffee table. She gingerly touched it. It was still warm. Brack hadn't been gone for long.

Every step Paige took was shaky and measured.

She could hardly think. Her mind was so consumed with fear. Fear of not finding Brack. Fear of finding him. Fear of losing the closest person she had to a father. Fear of the unknown. Fear, terrifying and absolute, seized control of her soul and refused to let go.

What if she never saw Brack again? What if his last words to her had already been said? Who would talk to her? Who would ruffle her hair and smile kindly when she did a good job? Paige struggled to remember if she had ever told Brack she loved him. She would regret it for the rest of her life if she hadn't. Without him, she would be lost and all alone in the entire world. She had no one else. He was her everything.

Tears pooled in her eyes and a single drop slid down her cheek. She brushed it away. She was just…so helpless. Even if she _did_ find a man waiting for the perfect moment to deal Brack the final blow, what was she to do? She was frail and had no combat skills. She only knew how to throw books into the incinerator and read but she hardly thought that would be of any use in an actual fight. Nonetheless, she walked softly to Brack's bookcase and lifted the heaviest, sturdiest, most lethal looking book she could hold.

She stood still and tuned her ears to the silence, alert for even the slightest noise. For the longest time, she couldn't hear a thing and then there it was. A rhythmic in and out of air. The intruder had to be close to her. She saw a shadow slip by in the corner of her eye. She took a wild swing and lost her balance. She fell to the floor in an ungraceful heap. The last thing she remembered was a smug smile hovering at the edge of her vision and the salty sea breeze.

* * *

Trafalgar Law was pleased a couple of hours ago.

The Blood Vessel had docked at the Outskirts of Prale with no mishap. It was a sunny day, as promised. The crew members were all given some time off to cool down. All of them wanted to stay onboard the ship though. This left Law with the arduous task of picking a man to accompany him into the city. He chose Myrill, the lucky dog who ate the Hato-Hato no Mi and could read the minds of those around him like an open book.

Law thought it would be handy to have a mind reader accompany him. He couldn't have been more wrong. The man, simply would _not_ shut up. Law's mood grew fouler by the minute.

"Hey, Law! You'll never guess what Mather was thinking about in the kitchen today!"

"Don't call me Law. It implies familiarity with me."

"But I _do_ know you! I know _everything_ there is to know!" Myrill grinned sickeningly.

Law turned his death glare on the hapless man,"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you. Painfully."

The search for a way into the city had started well enough, however, an hour into the search and they was hopelessly lost. Stacks of books met them at every turn and every damn stack looked the same. To make matters worse, Myrill kept droning on and _on_ about the secret life one of their crew apparently lead.

Law was just about to give up and hack his way through the books with his sword when he unexpectedly stumbled upon a crumbling but well repaired cottage. He was surprising to see a house in what seemed to be an uninhabited area. Law smiled, his grin a little feral. Where there were houses, there were people; and where there were people, there were directions.

Law made Myrill shut up and stationed him where he wouldn't be a nuisance. Then he proceeded to knock on the door, polite as could be for a pirate. It wasn't _his_ fault a deranged old man opened fire on him the second the door opened. What was he to do but knock him out with the blunt edge of his sword?

Law had _just_ finished dragging the body inside when surprise, surprise - he had another visitor. This one was far more interesting than the old man. She seemed to be on the verge of tears yet she held her composure. He couldn't help but let an amused laugh slip when she took herself out of action while meaning to incapacitate _him._

She was a dear little thing, really. Couldn't have been more than fifteen. Her hair was a copper red that curled towards the ends. It was a mute, sober color. He was face was clear, almost innocent. Law had no desire to harm her but the fact remained that he and Myrill were still lost and that he now had _two_ bodies to take care of instead of one.

Law sighed and resigned himself to calling Myrill from the bushes to get started. He had a feeling the next few days were about to get a _lot_ more interesting…

* * *

Paige's head felt like it had taken a beating from one of the Shichibukai and her eyeballs felt like they were exploding. She wearily tried to pry one eye open but to no avail. Everything was moving at a sluggish pace and she could make neither head nor heels of where she was.

Then, suddenly, as though she was doused with a bucket of ice cold water it all came flooding back to her. Brack, the shadow, her fall and that smug smile. She felt like she was waking up from a dream to realize she was trapped in a nightmare.

She tried to take list of her surroundings. She seemed to be lying somewhere soft. A bed, then. There were no other soft places in the Outskirts and she didn't think she had knocked herself out long enough to be moved far off. She tested her arms and legs. They seemed to be in working condition but they were loosely bound.

A silky voice called out, "I know you're awake, Paige. There's no need to pretend. I'm not here to harm you."

Paige cautiously opened her eyes only to blink against the harsh sunlight streaming in through the window. She was in Brack's bedroom. When her eyes adjusted, they came to rest on a man sitting at the foot of her bed.

She had never spoken to man other than Brack in her entire life. It was unnerving having him sit there and watch her. He certainly _looked_ dangerous, contrary to his statement of assurance. He exuded an aura that was irresistible yet made her want to take a step back. It was curious - the things this man was making her feel. She had never felt them before but she knew she wanted to feel more.

"H-How do you know my name?" Paige stammered.

That smile again. "Brack told me, of course."

"What are you talking about?" Paige's voice wasn't shaky any more. "I've lived with Brack for ten years. He would have told me about you by now. Tell me the truth. Who are you and why are you here?"

"Here, let me explain. My name is Trafalgar Law and I am a friend of Brack's. I don't know why he hasn't mentioned me but I can prove our relationship. He's told me all about how you came to be here and your family." The pirate's face was a mask of sincerity. He was glad Myrill had come through.

Paige seemed to hesitate a little, "Then pray tell me, where is Brack?"

Ah! He was wearing her down little by little… "Brack asked me to tell you he went to do a little 'fishing.'"

That, more than anything, convinced Paige of Law's innocence. 'Fishing' was a codeword Brack used when he had something urgent to do. He had never told her what it was but she assumed it was something important. The times and duration varied so Brack heading out wouldn't be of much suspicion. There was still something unexplained, though. "Maybe Brack forgot to tell me about you but why didn't he tell me you were coming?"

Law hedged a little, "Brack himself didn't know I was coming, Paige. It was more of a … surprise visit."

Paige was quick to spot a weak link in his story,"If you haven't seen each other, how do you know about me?"

"Through the modern wonder that are Den Den Mushis, of course." Law smiled the smile that was solely his. "Are you through interrogating me?" He asked wryly.

"Nearly," she said," I'm almost convinced of your innocence. If you truly are Brack's friend and he trusts you with his 'fishing' expeditions, you should know his favorite song to whistle.

Sweat started beading on Law's forehead. Myrill hadn't covered that in the synopsis of Brack's life. He had to take a blind shot. Oh, well. Even if he did get it wrong, it wasn't like she could _kill_ him. Trafalgar regained his confidence.

"Trick question, love," he said, in a voice could have melted the coldest of icicles, "Brack doesn't whistle."

Paige smiled for the first time since he laid eyes on her. "I believe you. You really are Brack's friend, aren't you? Did you say your name was Trafalgar Law? Welcome to the Incinerator. What can I do for you?

Law's lazy smile was back once more. "How about I get you out of these ropes first, eh?"

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**[Please, please, please review? This story has 1000+ hits so far and I have only you to thank for it and I'm very grateful. The only way I can think of repaying you is by making my story more awesome to read and how can I do that without your feedback?**'

**[PS - Big thankyou(s) go out to skipbeataddict, RemiJVantalaimon, Thepirateprophet44, Guest, sugar-run, CountessDiscordia, FullmoonSwan, Le Great Person xD and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter. Gives virtual internet cookies ]**


	5. Onwards to the City!

**[Hey again :D I know its been a looooooong while but I was suffering from writer's block :/ But I'm completely through it now and I PROMISE the next chapters will be quicker because I have most of my story planned out now ^^ If you feel the story is a little slow paced, tell me. Any and all critique is most certainly welcome. Feedback is most appreciated.]**

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_A Second Chance_

Chapter 5

Onwards To The City!

Paige sat at the edge of Brack's bed with her arms outstretched. Never in a million years did she think she would be in Brack's bedroom, staring intently at the kneeling man before her undoing the knots her wrists lay bound in. She was astonished that he was responsible for expertise with which they had been tied. The rope itself was loose enough for her to bend her wrists yet it was tight enough to leave a rough burning sensation on her delicate skin. The harder she had struggled a few minutes earlier, the tighter the ropes had become. They could probably rival a Marine's knots, and that was a compliment in itself.

It seemed odd though. Trafalgar Law's hands were soft and the fingers longer than normal. He didn't seem accustomed to hard work. He wasn't the kind of man you'd expect to have knowledge of intricate sailor knots. But what did she know?

She had just met the man and it shouldn't have come as a surprise to her if he was a part of the mafia or had spent half his life learning to dance the Ravelian Jig. She didn't think it would be easy getting to know him either. He had an air of mystery around him and a carefully crafted mask that served as a wall of indifference between him and the world. It didn't seem like he opened up a lot.

Paige inwardly smiled. She had just met the man a few minutes ago and she was already psychoanalysing him. She couldn't help but allow a small giggle to escape her.

Law looked up for a moment, confused, then returned to his labour with a wary face. What was so funny and why wasn't he in on the joke? Was she perhaps...laughing at him? Nobody laughed at Trafalgar Law. He set to work on the knots with renewed vigour and determination. He had pride too. Kind of.

Unaware of Law's new found enthusiasm, Paige had made up her mind as well albeit on a rather different topic. She would get to know the enigma known as Trafalgar Law. Not because he was foreign to her and so very different from Brack but for the simple fact that he was a person.

The Outskirts was a lonely, desolate place. It was just her and Brack. Brack wasn't too talkative either. All she did was read day in and day out. The very idea of having human company made her ecstatic. Besides, he was interesting.

She turned her attention to the kneeling man before her once more. He was struggling with the final knot. The last one seemed to be a doozy. Why had he worked so hard on the knots? There was no reason for her to be restrained in the first place.

She broke the vaguely awkward silence enveloping them, "Why did you have to tie me up anyway?"

Trafalgar smiled and continued working without a missed beat. Ah, so she wasn't laughing at him. " Well, I don't know about you but I have a little something called self preservation."

Paige snorted with derision. "Yeah, I can _totally_ see how you'd feel threatened with a big-ass sword strapped to your back."

Law chuckled. "I'm not entirely convinced. You looked pretty lethal with that big book of yours."

Paige glanced away in embarrassment. "I was hard pressed for a weapon, okay? Besides, you could have been an assassin for all I knew. Just forget I did anything."

Law laughed a deep, throaty laugh. "That would be difficult seeing the way you…ah, hugged the floor to the point where you lost consciousness."

Paige made a face. "Tactful. Just concentrate on undoing the knot, you jerk."

Law couldn't help but erupt in laughter. "I was done halfway through the conversation. Now, if only you would let go..."

Paige couldn't help but blush at the sight of their entwined hands. She tore hers away immediately and looked up with every remaining shred of her dignity. "Good. Would you like something to drink?" And with that, she strode out of the room without a backward glance.

An amused Law followed her. He hadn't laughed that much since the time Bepo stuck a peanut up his nose and needed surgery to get it out. Having the girl around wouldn't be too bad but he couldn't forget the reason he was there. He noiselessly went after Paige with the express idea of using her to get to the city.

She was standing on tip-toe in the kitchen, trying to get to the tea leaves. Law watched her struggle for a few moments. She really was an interesting girl. From what little Myrill could glean from her unconscious mind, she had lead a rather hard life. Law's thoughts were interrupted by the clattering of a box to the floor, followed by a loud "Oh, bullpoopy!"

Law couldn't stop laughing. "Oh, god. You're killing me. Bullpoopy? Honestly? It's okay to say 'big-ass sword' but not bullshit?"

Paige was a little miffed. "Of course it's not okay. I have standards. How long were you standing there anyway? You could have helped. What are you, sadistic?" She lifted the fallen box, set it on the counter and stretched with all her might once more, her height be damned. She would get the stupid tea leaves if it killed her.

All at once, she was enveloped by the strong scent of the sea and felt a warm presence at her back. A hand reached high above her head and handed her the tea leaves. Law whispered into her ear," What, no thank you?"

Paige remained speechless.

Law snaked an arm around her waist and turned her so they were face to face. He pulled her close and after setting the tea leaves on the counter behind her, rested his arms on her shoulders.

Paige started panicking. Oh lord, what was he doing? His face was so close. Were his gray eyes always that glittery? Why was he still leaning in? When did he eat a breath mint? What on earth was he thinking? Was he going to kiss her? Would it be as magical as she had heard about?

Paige's mind was overflowing with thoughts. She shut her eyes, resigned herself to her fate and braced herself for Law's lips.

After what seemed like an eternity, she opened her eyes. Law was looking at her with a self satisfied smirk. "Consider us even now."

"Even for what?" Paige managed to splutter out.

"Why, for calling me a jerk, and a sadistic one at that." Law grinned at her flabbergasted expression. Really, she was so easy to rile up.

Paige tried to salvage the situation. "I was on to you. I was just playing along, you know. There's no way I'd fall for a dumb trick like that."

Law rolled his eyes. "Sure you wouldn't." He released Paige and returned his arms to his sides. It was time to get down to business. Tristan and Blarr needed the machines by the end of the day or it would all be for nothing. "Hey, I kind of need a favour. I didn't come here just to visit Brack. I'm in need of some much required equipment. I was on my way to the city but I ended up lost and came here instead. Do you mind taking me there? It's rather urgent."

Paige patted Law's shoulder solemnly. "I understand. I get lost too. Let me get my hat."

This time, it was Law who was speechless.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Law asked for the billionth time.

"No. Now shut up and stop being whiny," Paige said tiredly. The noon sun had been beating down on her for far too long and she was parched. Manners could wait till she got rehydrated. She cast a dirty look at Law. He was walking right beside her. She felt, and probably looked, like a wilted weed while he was fresh as a daisy. It was nauseating and just plain unnatural.

"Don't you feel the least bit tired carrying that sword on your back?" She grumbled.

"Nah, I'm used to it." He replied, lively as ever.

Paige groaned, inwardly cursing herself for being roped into the whole thing. "What kind of equipment do you need anyway?" She asked, hoping that the answer was one worthwhile.

"Medical stuff," Law said nonchalantly.

"Medical? So you're a doctor?" Paige asked interested, her fatigue momentarily forgotten.

He shrugged. "I'm in training to be one."

Paige was confused. "Then why do you carry around a sword?"

Law smiled. "You sure like my sword a lot. It's called a nodachi. The reason I have it is because I'm not just a doctor-in-training." He paused for effect. "I'm also a pirate."

Paige's reaction was not one he expected.

Her eyes grew wide. "A pirate? An honest-to-gods pirate? You mean one of those swashbuckling pirates who sail the Grand Line scouring for treasure?"

"The very same."

Paige's enthusiasm could not be contained. "I've always wanted to meet a pirate! In the books I've read, they go on daring adventures and get marooned on distant islands and eat each other to stay alive an-"

Law cut her off. "Whoa now! Slow down! I haven't had any adventures worth talking about yet. My crew is just starting out. We're barely at the halfway point to the Grand Line. And as far as my knowledge extends, none of us are cannibals."

Paige frowned. " If your crew is just starting out, how are you going to pay for the equipment? You don't seem to be carrying anywhere near enough money."

Law looked at Paige like the idiot she was. "I'm a pirate. I don't pay."

Ignoring his look, Paige's eyes became distant. "I think this is going to be the best day of my life."

Law looked over surprised. "Why?"

"Today is the day I steal medical instruments with an armed pirate in broad daylight and it's a Wednesday. Oh, and I got tied up too. How could it not be the best day of my life?" She asked.

Law stared at her. Then he looked away and stared at her some more. She was practically skipping with joy. He faintly asked the one question he possibly could, "What's so special about Wednesdays?"

Paige looked ahead as she replied. "Right. You aren't from around here. Well, here in Prale the people all follow a crazy religion that basically says men and women are never supposed to have any kind of contact. Ever. So, the townsfolk developed a system where each gender could go about their daily work every alternate day of the week. It just so happens that it's the men's turn today."

Law gave voice to his thoughts. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard but I don't really care as long as they have top class machines."

Paige assured him. "Trust me, the machines here are the best you'll find anywhere."

After a few moments of silence, Law spoke. "Are we there yet? I feel like we've seen that book thrice already."

"Hush now. I'm the guide, not you."

"Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Of course I do. Now, I think we're supposed to turn left here…or was it right?"

It took all of Law's strength to not face-palm himself.

* * *

**[Please review? Also, big thank-you(s) go out to skipbeataddict, Juliedoo, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, Le Great Person XD, Guest, PirateZoro-san and Guest for reviewing :) I love you ^^ Gives virtual chocolate pudding]**

**[PS - It would be great if the guest reviewers could leave a name behind or create a fanfiction account ^^ I would love to get back to you]**


	6. The Underground Tunnels

**[Umm, hey again! I know, I know - I took longer than I promised but I've written the longest chapter yet! There were a record-breaking_ twelve_ reviews for my last chapter. Thank you,_ thank you, thank you_! You guys have no idea how much your feedback makes me happy. Seriously. As always, criticism is appreciated and PMs and reviews are welcome. Like, I said before, it would be awesome if the guest accounts could leave a name behind because I think I got about four guest review last time (?) and it's pretty hard to get back to. So...yeah. I hope you enjoy the chapter ^^]**

* * *

_A Second Chance_

Chapter 6

The Underground Tunnels

Myrill wiped the sweat from his brow as he stood panting, his back against a stack of books. He never had been the most athletic of pirates. Sure, he could read minds over a three-mile distance and could transmit thoughts on and off, but one short jog and he was breathless. He leaned on the book stack and tried to take deeper, more sustained breaths. When his heart calmed and beat at a steady pace once more, he took a quick look around the corner and when he was sure he wasn't spotted, set off at a quick sprint hoping to catch up before he lost sight of Trafalgar.

Myrill cursed the Medical Apprentice - not for the first time, mind you - as he pumped his legs. He had been looking forward to a day or two of rest, doing nothing more than spending lazy hours sleeping on the deck. Instead, he had found himself hiding unconscious middle-aged men inside closets.

Trafalgar was no more than nineteen, nearly a decade younger than Myrill but somehow, the latter felt compelled to follow instructions from him.

When Law had joined the Blood Pirates merely a year ago, he was a teenager who had lost all hope and faith in humanity. His eyes were nothing more than lifeless stones. The first flicker of life had appeared in them during one of the bloodiest battles the crew had ever fought. Waging war had been a suicidal decision. The Marines had cornered them and had had well over ten times the men the Blood Pirates had. Captain Montgomery had been ready to wave the white flag of surrender but Law had pushed back from the wall he always leaned on, smirked and jumped on deck. The crew had watched him with awe as he cut down man after man, his blade a whirlwind of destruction.

After the battle, the Blood Pirates had finally accepted him as part of their crew and he, them. They had won, largely because Law had contributed to the deaths over half the enemy. Now, a year later, Law was still a savage beast thirsty for blood. Now, he just hid it better.

Nonetheless, Myrill was annoyed at having to follow Trafalgar's every whim and fancy. _Yes,_ he had 'saved' the crew and _yes,_ he was accomplished as a doctor as well as a swordsman but that didn't give him the right to intimidate crew members into doing what he wanted, Myrill thought with a huff.

First, he was made to hide an overweight man's body. Then, he had to hide in the bushes and stay crouched in an uncomfortable position while Law got to flirt with the redhead. When the happy couple had set off towards the city, Myrill was ready to bumble his way back to the ship but _no_ - Law's mental voice had exploded in his head, _Myrill, follow me till I get the machines and keep listening for further instructions. I'll need you to bring the ship to a more accessible place. The instruments will be rather bulky. Remain twenty steps behind me at all times and make sure you don't lose me._

Just remembering the agony his head suffered at the loudness of Law's mind brought twinges of pain to Myrill. He had been keeping a tab on Law's thoughts, _as Law well knew. _He hadn't needed to shout. Really, obnoxious was too kind a word to describe Trafalgar Law.

Ignoring the blistering noon sun, Myrill kept a leash on his anger, saving it for when he faced Trafalgar again, and with pursed lips maintained a distance of twenty steps between them.

* * *

"Here we are!"

The sudden declaration cut through the sultry silence and woke Trafalgar from his bored stupor. The dead end before him stood tall. He blinked but the scene before him didn't change. He looked at Paige, standing expectantly next to him. "What are you talking about? Is there something I'm missing? This is a dead end! This doesn't look like the city." His voice had a touch of impatience. He had about six hours to get the machines to Tristan and Blarr. He could not afford to be wasting time.

Paige was a little taken aback by bite in Trafalgar's voice but decided to shrug it off. He was probably just tired from walking in the damned heat. She crouched down and swept her hands over the thin layer of sand and other debris. There was supposed to be a catch right about...there!

She looked up at Law's imposing figure. "I'm not going to take you to the city," she said. She gulped at his stony look and continued, "Don't worry, I'm taking you straight to the source."

With that, she lifted the hidden trapdoor and said with a flourish, " Welcome, to Prale's Underground Mall. If you can't find what you're looking for here, it doesn't exist." She laughed at Law's befuddled face and jumped into the darkness. "Well, what're you waiting for?" Her voice hollered. "It's not too far down!"

Trafalgar had had just about enough with the crazy island he had landed on. He stuck his head through the opening. It was pitch black and smelled musty. "Are you sure this is it?" he asked?

"Of course I am! I sneak in here all the time!" Paige answered, her voice too close for comfort.

"Well, stay back. I'm coming in." Law said, trying to find a firm grip on the ground above to heave his head out. All of a sudden, he felt a pattering of tiny feet across his hands. Startled, he fell headfirst.

That would have been alright, except, he fell headfirst into Paige.

Law's head felt like an anchor had crushed it. He tried to get his bearings when he felt a shock of pain in his ribs. Paige had clawed him while trying to crawl out from beneath him. Still a little out of it, instinct kicked in and Law found himself pinning Paige down. His hands were holding her wrists to the floor. Their eyes were unnervingly close to each other, merely centimetres apart. Sunlight fell from the open trapdoor on Paige's face. Her eyes were a lovely shade of dove gray, Law noticed.

When his amateur adrenaline rush wore off, he was tried to shift his body away from hers but his legs couldn't find purchase. His legs gave out and his body enveloped hers once more.

Paige's face was smooshed against Law's shoulder and her voice was muffled, "I can'f breahe. Ge ohff me, you lhump."

It took a few minutes to untangle their legs but finally they were both upright with no visible injuries, save for minor bruises.

A silence stretched between them. Never being one for awkwardness, Paige weakly began, with the intention of teasing Law. "So much for those muscles, eh?" She was glad the darkness of the cavern hid blush.

Law didn't respond immediately. He took a few ginger steps into the dark. The uneven ground and the damp ground reminded a little too much of his childhood. He clenched his fists, trying to push the memories away. The far drip of water helped calm him some. He walked right up to Paige and put an arm around her shoulder. "You sure you didn't enjoy that?" He grinned and pulled away before she could swat him. "So, what exactly is this place?" Law started, his voice echoing off the walls.

Glad for having caught a break, Paige rushed to explain. "How about I explain while we walk? Be careful, there're a couple of ruts here and there. Here, let me help you." She curled her hand around his wrist only to find it sharply yanked away.

"I'm sorry. It isn't your fault," he hurried to explain, "I just don't like anything around my wrists - or my neck for that matter."

Paige didn't know how to react to that. She brushed it aside.

"It's alright, I didn't know." She steered the conversation to a safe topic. "You were asking about this place, weren't you?"

"We're in an underground tunnel that used to be a part of a network of caves. The Prale government couldn't find a suitable location to house their community shopping centre, so, they decided to make everything underground. It was supposed to be a small project but a couple of major corporations got involved and it turned into a commercial mall worth a hundred million Belli. This was all before religion took over, of course. Now, the people don't see a reason to do away with it so it's still used. It's a good thing it's the men's turn today. There won't be much mobbing."

Law was interested. "So, how does this tunnel system work exactly?" He needed to figure out where to make Myrill dock the ship. Myrill had better be following him.

Myrill had collapsed from fatigue an hour ago. He had had enough of running through mazes. Trafalgar had better settle for reading his mind from a distance, he thought nastily. Hopefully, he wouldn't get out of range.

Back in the underground tunnels, Paige was thinking of a way to explain the layout of the tunnels to Law. "Well, Prale is a circular island with a volcano dead centre. Now imagine a circle around the volcano about three miles from the coast. That's the Circular Tunnel."

She paused and looked at Law."Great name, huh?" she laughed.

If Law smiled at all, it was hidden by the darkness.

Paige continued, "The tunnel we're in is one of the spokes that extend outwards from The Circular Tunnel towards the coast. These tunnels - the Outers - each have a specific landmark at their mouth. The one we're in has a lighthouse. You can figure it out if you look at the walls. You can't see much now, but when you have light, there are markings every few feet or so. People don't use the Outers much these days. They have entrances from the Circular Tunnel. You need to make sure you travel in a straight line here though, there are a bunch of mini-tunnels that branch off from the main Outers. They usually have dead ends but a few of them connect to houses in the city. Clear so far?"

"I think I've got it all," came the reply. Good. Law hadn't wandered off then. Really, the man needed to wear a bell collar. His noiselessness in the dark was unnerving.

"Okay, now we move on to the Shopping Tunnels, or, the Inners. They're pretty much the same as the Outers but they point inwards. Each main tunnel can have as many as twenty branch tunnels. The shops are loosely categorized alphabetically but you can find a few shops here and there too - it's not too out of place to find clothes in, say, the W Tunnel. Woollen clothes exist too. The important things have a tunnel of their own, like Medicine and Religious Scripts. What you're looking for should be in the Medical Tunnel. We're lucky it's not too far from the end of this tunnel. I should say...ten minutes at the most?"

Law walked a little ahead of Paige. The tunnels felt like they were closing in on him. The dark felt suffocating. He could almost smell the coal again and hear the rattle of carts. He barely heard the end of Paige's explanation. Goddammit, why weren't there any lights?

"Why aren't there any lights?" A voice floated out to Paige from right in front of her. She stopped for a moment before walking once more, lest she bump into Law. They had been walking along for several minutes with nothing but the crunch of pebbles beneath their feet for company. The sudden question startled Paige and it took her a few seconds to remember why there were no lights.

"Like I said, these tunnels aren't used very often. The lights start once you're close to the Circular Tunnel."

Great, just great. Law was stuck walking for Roger-knew-how-long without seeing _jack_ and to make things worse, he didn't know how much time had passed. He assumed he had about four hours left but the sooner he got to the ship, the better. He tried to ignore the pounding in his head and tried to transmit his thoughts to Myrill.

_Go back to the ship and tell them to drop anchor near the lighthouse. Immediately._

* * *

Not too far away, Myrill heard Law and looked forward to taking out his anger on the book stacks. Hell if he was going to walk around them again. One push would be all he needed to bring a stack crashing down. He would have rubbed his hands gleefully if he had had the strength to do so.

* * *

As time passed, Law walked faster and faster till he nearly had Paige running to keep up with him. He slowed down only when he saw the light brackets mounted on the cave walls every couple of feet. They were close. He mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

Paige trotted alongside him panting. They hadn't spoken much other than the occasional question from Law. It had seemed at odds after their light banter at the cottage. She could understand though, he had to be worried about his friend.

They walked on in companionable silence till the light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter and brighter till it was almost blinding.

"Wait! Come back here for a second!" Paige called out just as they were about step into the Circular Tunnel.

Law walked over to where she was waiting a few feet back."What is it?"

"Umm, today is the men's turn to stay out and, well, I'm a girl."

Law's brow furrowed the slightest bit. He hadn't thought about that. Though Paige's body was androgynous in nature, it could be clearly be distinguished as female. He couldn't leave her behind either. He needed a guide to navigate the insane town. There was nothing for it, he supposed.

He drew his nodachi, slipped off his jacket and gave it to Paige. "Here, wear this." His sword would probably be thought of as a fake. There would be no harm in strapping it to his back. He probably looked like a mime with his black full-sleeves and white cargos.

Paige breathed in his scent as she wrapped the jacket tight around her. It smelt like the sea and a unique heady aroma that was uniquely Law's. "What about my hair?" She asked.

"Easy enough." Law moved behind Paige and took hold of her hair. He quickly fashioned it into a braid and stuffed it under her hat. "There, you look passable now. I think we can avoid detection as lost as no one looks too closely."

"Works for me." Paige grinned and tugged Law with her to the mouth of the tunnel. A pirate who knew how to style hair. She really had seen it all.

Law's eyes widened at his first look of the Circular Tunnel. If he hadn't walked along a mildewed tunnel for the past hour or so, he might not have believed he was underground. Men of all ages - young and old - bustled about in a hurry. Hawkers yelled their wares and the scent of freshly prepared food was ripe in the air.

He looked about for the source of light. Paige noticed and gave a knowing smile. "It's very cleverly done. Look up - there're mirrors everywhere. They reflect light from a couple of surface holes. Brilliant, isn't it?" Her voice was filled with awe and her eyes with wonder. It was the first time she had ventured so far. She had read about it, sure, but experiencing it firsthand was a sight to behold indeed.

"Come on! We need to go this way." Paige grabbed Law's elbow and pulled him into the crowd. She held on to it so they wouldn't get separated. The throngs were vicious this time of day.

After refusing to buy an assortment of goods including rare dragon dung, a daffodil and some peanuts - the weary couple arrived at the Medical Tunnel a little worse for wear.

"You sure this is it?" Law confirmed.

"I'm positive." Paige scrutinized the shop they stood before. It looked legit. The owner was nowhere to be seen. She turned to look at Law. "Shall we go in?

Law grinned a feral smile and stalked into the shop.

* * *

**[I promised a certain someone a cliffie but unfortunately, I couldn't make it happen :/ This chapter squeezed my last drop of energy. I'll try my best on the next one though! As for Guests's Prediction - Damn but you're kinda right. The basic facts I mean. I'm kinda going with what you said but not completely. Wait for the upcoming chapters :D]**

**[Ginormous thank-you(s) go out to PirateZoro-san, Guest, poisonliz, the everchanging, AceIsTheOnly, , Guest, Guest, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, Guest, RockPrincess410 and Guest for your awesome reviews. Honestly, you guys make my life worth living. Gives virtual bunny hugs to everyone. Sorry, no food this time :P]**

**[Feel free to tell me about anything this story is lacking. This is my first serious attempt and I want to do the best job I can. I can't do that without your advice on what's missing and the things I could improve on. So, please review? :D]_  
_**


	7. All (Not) According To Plan

**[Hello again. I know, it's been a depressingly long time since I updated and I have no excuse except that Procrastination is my middle name. I hope you'll forgive me and read the story anyway. I've added a bit of action in this chapter, I think you'll like it. I PROMISE updates will be weekly once now. Or even twice a week. Enjoy!]**

* * *

_A Second Chance_

Chapter 7

All (Not) According To Plan

The overhead tube lights buzzed as their dim light flickered in and out. The constant, almost deathly silence in the shop was interrupted only by the sudden whirr of a machine. The disorganized aisles were hardly distinguished by the spaces of floor between them. Everything was categorized in heaps, some bigger than a man.

Paige stayed behind Law as he took the lead. "Are you sure you can find what you need here?" she asked. "I don't know. You tell me. You're the one who brought me here," Law grinned. Paige swatted his shoulder. "You know what I mean. Can you find it in all this junk?" "I'm positive. There's one right there. Go see if you can find a trolley of some sort. We need to be mobile after we leave the shop. There's bound to be a disturbance."

Just as Law gathered everything he needed, he heard an engine splutter to life behind him. He turned to see Paige a few meters back attempting to drive a vehicle with no roof. He went up to her and laughed as he sat himself down beside her into the passenger seat. "Move over. Leave the driving to the men, honey," he said patronizingly. "Oh, shut up!" Paige said huffily before switching places with him. She would've figured it out. Eventually.

In a few moments, they were done loading the instruments into the back of the vehicle. "Don't you think this is suspicious?" Law said out loud.

"What do you mean? Everything has been going great so far. Nobody stopped us."

"Exactly. Things shouldn't be going this smoothly. Where's the owner of this place? He's bound to be around somewhere. He's probably heard us by now and is preparing his defense. Let's get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps."

Paige thought Law was over reacting. She didn't think the shopkeeper could be a threat. He was most probably an old man who couldn't ev-

A sudden clank came from the nearest heap. Law's nodachi was in his hand within seconds. "If there's someone there, come out right now and maybe I won't hurt you." He called out. There was another rustle before the heap started _transforming_ itself into some sort of robot. Law blew a low whistle as it stood up to its full height. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me." He turned to Paige. "Go stand behind that fridge and don't come out till I tell you to." He ordered as he jumped down from his driver's seat.

Paige, eyes wide, obeyed him.

Once she was out of sight, the Blood Pirate turned to his adversary, waiting to see who would make the first move. _Ah, to hell with it _he thought and swung experimentally at the hunk of iron to see how it would react. His blade hit metal and vibrations from the impact ran up his arm. He withdrew his sword. There was barely a scratch on the blasted thing. He tried slicing at it a few more times but there was no response.

Just as he walked past it, convinced it was just for show, a red light blinked in the robot's chest and a small tinny voice spoke. "Stop intruder. Exit the premises."

"The hell I am."

Barely a second later, the hunk of junk took a swipe at him faster than he could have thought possible. Law jumped back at the last moment. As he regained his balance, he let loose a hail of swift strikes. They didn't have any effect. As he parried and closely evaded the robot's attacks, Law felt a shiver of thrill pass through his body - one he hadn't felt in a long time. He enjoyed the challenge his opponent presented.

Law changed his tactics and started aiming for the joints, seeing as the metal was impenetrable. He slashed at the visible wires and worked on disabling one limb at a time but the metal monstrosity hadn't lost any of it's speed, let alone its mobility.

Paige watched in worry as Law battled the robot. A trickle of blood was running down his forehead and he seemed to be dragging his left leg around. There had to be some way she could help him. She couldn't just stand there and listen to the horrible clangs of metal on metal.

She took a deep breath and surveyed the scene before her, analyzing every detail. The robot was very high tech. The way it was reacting to Law's movements was odd. It shouldn't have that high a level of software. That could only mean one thing - someone was controlling it! It was the owner, most likely. If she could find him, she could shut down the robot. Her eyes swept the area looking for signs of movement, anything at all. There! By the fan! There he was!

Paige mapped the closest path to him - through the fight. _Oh, God_, she groaned internally. Law was going to have her head for interrupting the battle. Steeling herself, she called out a warning. "Law! I'm coming over!"

She saw his head whip around. "What? No! Just stay there till I'm done!"

Paige looked on in horror as the robot took advantage of Law's momentary lapse in concentration and knocked him down with a vicious blow to the head. "Law! LAW!" Paige screamed, but he didn't move. He was out cold.

As the robot moved to position itself for the final blow, Paige raced across to the owner, her backpack thumping on her back. She found a cowering old man of seventy lurking behind the junk heap. Shaking her head, Paige gave him a blunt hit to the head and grabbed the controller. She looked for the 'OFF' button frantically. The robot was teetering dangerously on its legs now that no one was controlling it. She heaved a sigh of relief when she finally found it. The hulking piece of metal fell to the floor with a thud. Fortunately, not on Law.

Paige hurried over to her fallen Pirate. She knelt beside him and cradled his neck in her lap. Unscrewing a bottle of water from her backpack, she gingerly splashed a few drops on his face. "Law? Wake up. You can stop pretending now. The big, bad monster is gone now, thanks to yours truly." After a light slap or two, the Blood Pirate came to after mumbling a few choice swear words.

"What did you do?" He asked groggily, his voice raspy.

"I defeated the robot when you couldn't. With my sharp intellect."

"Oh, give it a rest. This is _one_ time. I could've done it on my own." Law protested.

Paige snorted. "Yeah, right. Sure. You just don't want to admit a _girl _helped you."

She stood up and offered Law a hand. He accepted it with grace. "All jokes aside, thank you for keeping me alive," he said grudgingly, "not many people could've done what you did." The girl just kept surprising him.

Paige smiled up at him, still the shorter of the two in spite of her recent victory. "No problem. What do we do now? After all the noise we made, there's probably a crowd at the front of the shop."

"Let me take care of that." Law said as he made his way to the vehicle and climbed into the driver's side.

"You sure you can drive in your condition?" Paige asked dubiously.

Law gave her a look. "I'm a better driver than you are. Even in this condition."

"Pro-feminism, he isn't." Paige murmured, amused at Law's pig headed stubborn streak.

When they reached the shop's entrance, Paige's predictions came true. A large crowd had indeed gathered. Law couldn't possibly fight those many people with his nodachi. There had to be at least a hundred people out there. Paige looked at him to see how he was going to worm his way out of this one. He stared back at her with her steel gray eyes, a glint of _something_ dancing in them.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered.

"Not completely, but yes," Paige replied warily.

Immediately, she found herself being pulled to Law's side with a small knife he had hidden Roger-knew-where at her neck. By then, they were in view of the crowd. A large gasp went up when they saw the scene.

Paige could feel the rumble of Law's voice through her back. His breath was hot behind her ear and the hand holding her hands prisoner were like manacles. "This boy is now my hostage," Law proclaimed, mindful of Paige's disguise. He continued, "If we are given safe passage, no harm will come to him."

"Or to you." Law added threateningly.

The sea of people parted.

Law loosened his grip on Paige and half let her slip back into her seat. He let go of her hands but remained holding the knife at her neck. He used his free arm to carefully maneuver the vehicle through the Circular Tunnel, retracing their steps to the Outer they had come in from. Once Law saw the Lighthouse symbol at the mouth of the tunnel, he was sure he was going the right way. He continued through the tunnel for a few minutes with Paige still at the mercy of his knife, for fear the people could still see them. Once they were out of sight, Law dropped the act and Paige slid into her seat.

"You okay?" He asked.

"A little shaky but mostly excited," Paige replied and looked at Law, "you're a very convincing actor. If you didn't warn me, I would have thought I really was your hostage."

Law chuckled. "Comes from years of being a nasty prick."

Paige smiled and they continued the journey in silence, with only the noise of the engine for company. The dark of the tunnel was kept at bay by the headlights.

The unspoken question of what would happen to Paige when the equipment reached the ship hung between them. She would probably have to go back to working at the Incinerator but after her adventure with Law, her life would be so utterly boring. This was the first real excitement she had felt and Law was - dare she think it? - her first real friend. She had never had a friend before, someone she could talk to and laugh with. Brack was different. They spoke by necessity, because there was no one else. This pirate was the first person she had _chosen_. That would probably only make their parting that much harder, or on her side, at the very least. She had no idea how Law felt about her. Were they friends now? Did he just think of her as a guide to getting what he wanted, nothing more? Was he going to forget about her the second he left on his ship? Di-

A splutter and thunk of the engine interrupted her thoughts. They had been in the tunnel for approximately a half hour. Surely the ruts weren't so bad as to _stop_ the engine. Law got out if his seat to examine the hood. He took a small jug-like thing out and examined it before the headlights.

He sighed. "Just our luck. The HRS is broken. We're going to have to push this thing all the way to the coast.

"It's not too far from here. I would say, twenty minutes at the most. I'll help too. Don't you dare say I can't because I'm a woman." Paige said feistily, before slipping off Law's jacket and tossing it with the machines at the back. She would miss the warmth it gave and the heady scent but would just hinder her.

"I wasn't going to. I want to keep all my body parts, thank you very much."

"Good choice."

With that, they odd pair started pushing the vehicle. The work was physically challenging so there was no talk involved. With the headlights in the front, Paige and Law could hardly see their hands, let alone each other.

Fixed on getting the work over with, Law trudged ahead paying no attention to Paige. His mind was consumed with how he was going to get rid of her when they reached Myrill. He didn't want to hurt her but if it came to that, he would probably be gentle with her. Yes, Law decided. Paige was interesting. She constantly surprised him and she had an innocence he would be lying if he said he wasn't envious of. Yes, he decided, he wouldn't harm Paige.

However, Law needn't have worried, for when he reached the mouth of the tunnel, Paige was nowhere to be seen. He was thrown off balance. He hadn't anticipated that happening, but he brought himself back to the matter at hand. He was going to leave Paige anyway. This just made it easier. He could see Myrill silhouetted by the lighthouse in the moonlight. Tristan and Blarr needed the machines _now_ or they would die.

He motioned Myrill over to help with moving the equipment to the tiny boat anchored at the shore. The ship was a little ways from the coast. Law made sure to block any thoughts of Paige from Myrill. The last thing he needed was a rumor going around the ship about his non-existent love life. Not that he saw Paige in that way. Of course not.

Law rowed the boat across the silent black water to the ship, in apprehension of the fate that awaited Tristan and Blarr. He could've asked Myrill, but he didn't want to interrupt the odd sanctity of the moment.

* * *

Try as he might, Law couldn't sleep that night.

It wasn't because of Bepo's snoring. He was used to that. Or his injured crewmates. They were hooked up to the machines and were stable. They would be back to full form in a matter of days. No, it was something else entirely.

A face kept popping up every time he was about to drift off - Paige's. Her young face, eyes wide with anticipation, excitement, laughter kept echoing in his head. She wasn't much younger than he, four years at the most, but she was so inexperienced and naïve. She was childlike and he felt guilty leaving her behind in the tunnels without knowing what happened to her.

What if she had wandered off into one of the Branch Tunnels and gotten herself lost? The place was a maze, she could be stuck there without food and water for days before help arrived, _if_ it did. From what Myrill had gathered from her memories, she was an outcast. He didn't think her disappearance would bother anyone.

_Hold on. You aren't responsible for her, _a voice in his head whispered.

Oh, Law knew that alright, but thoughts of her kept nagging his head. Maybe she was in trouble and needed his help. Maybe she was hurt. Or lost.

_To hell with it_, he thought_, I'll go see what happened to her._

Law convinced himself he was doing it for his peace of mind, not for Paige. Besides, she had showed him to the city. He owed her a favor in return.

And so, in the silence of the night, Trafalgar Law of the Blood Pirates and his sidekick sailed to Prale's shore - an island Law thought he would never set foot on again - to save a girl he would probably never see again.

* * *

**[Please, PLEASE tell me if my writing is not up to the mark or if it has changed. I know it's been a while and I am a little rusty, so you'll have to forgive me. What did you think of this chapter? Did you like the cliffhanger? What do you think will happen next? Tell me everything in the reviews!]**

**[PS: Virtual Bunny Kissies go out to RockPrincess410, AnimeXCats333, the phantom of the arts, TENNIS-w-GUITARS, PirateZoro-san, Emz, 10th Squad Third Seat, AceIsTheOnly, Mariah, Shiningheart of the ThunderClan, Guest, Portgas D. Paula and Ellerocks92 for reviewing the last chapter. I love you so much :) All you guests out there, don't forget to leave a name when reviewing!]**


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